Bauhinia Blakeana
by Zuiver
Summary: Ever wonder how Hong Kong became who he is? Well this is my take. Rated for safety, Iggy's mouth, and some violence.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Just saying I'm sorry if the timing in some of the future chatters is a bit weird, it's my first time writing a story like this.

My name is Hong Kong. I am a nation with a rich heritage, and a scarring past. And yet, I am one of the lucky ones. This makes it even worse that I have become so warped from my beginnings. I sometimes wonder what happened to make me like this. Perhaps the view of an outsider will illuminate the truth behind such undeserved self-pity. So will you listen to my story?

As the car pulled up to the Victorian-style mansion, I couldn't help but stare. It looked so… different… from my home with China. Looking up at the large doors as England unlocked them, I could see why so many nations were envious of the older country's power. "This is your home now, Hong Kong." England looked down at me, gesturing to the unfamiliar house.

I looked at it, realizing that the former pirate wanted me to go inside. Raising my arms up, and smiling at the man, I waited to be picked up as I always was. Shaking his head, England gave me a stern look. "None of that. You are a man, you can walk on your own. I won't baby you like China."

I simply looked at him in confusion. I only knew Chinese at the time, and still had problems with _that_. "**Jinxing?**" I asked, still waiting to be picked up. Sighing exasperatedly, England pointed inside. Finally, I realized that he wanted me to walk myself.

As I walked into the building, I began removing my shoes. "No." England scolded me. "You wear your shoes inside as well." To get the point across, he walked further inside wearing his own. Well, at least he understood that he needed to demonstrate.

After placing my things in my new room, England led me into the kitchen, and had me sit down in a chair, while he placed a cloth over my chest, and tied it around my neck. Just as I began to wonder what he was doing, I heard the sound of metal sliding on metal, and felt hair start to drop from the back of my head. It made me sad, because I had worn it like China's, but even then I knew it would be best to just say nothing.

Once my ponytail was gone, England decided that I looked acceptably masculine, and proceeded to gather new clothes for me. After dressing me in a white collared shirt, red neck-ribbon, and black pants, he placed all of my Chinese clothing in a box, and moved it to the attic. I could tell he was trying desperately to completely un-asian me.

I now sometimes wonder if he only ever acted that way towards me because of his past with America, but I didn't know of that at the time. I only knew that he didn't like who I was, and that he was determined to change me. Perhaps I would have turned out a little differently if I had been as strong as America. But I wasn't. My heart was weak, and I allowed myself to be easily swayed… Oh right, no spoilers. I'm kinda sorry.

Anyway, once I was properly dressed England dragged me int yet another room, where another child seemed to be waiting. He looked even younger than me! I stared at him, and he simply stared right back. "This is Iceland. I babysit him sometimes for Norway, so you can expect to see him from time to time. I want you two to get along." We both looked up at England as he said this, and nodded.

I smiled cheerfully at Iceland, but he just continued to stare blankly at me. "Twenty Krona says that you'll be a completely different person when you leave this place…."

I just cocked my head, before it occurred to me that it must be a game. "Well twenty Yuan says I will _never_ change!" I stated cheerfully. That was the only bet I've ever lost.

Regardless of what may happen later in my story, there is one thing I will never regret. My friendship with Iceland is likely what saved the shred of myself that stays with me today. We silently decided that day that we would be there for each other. And we were, maybe more than we know it


	2. Chapter 2

The first week of my new residence passed without a hitch, as I was feeling rather shy, and so didn't cause any trouble. However, in time, I learned that there were 6 rules one should never break when living with him. Yet at the same time, each of these rules served to shape who I now am. Wether it was for the best or not is for the beholder's eyes to decide.

1. Never Eat England's Food

Staring at the blackened lump of charcoal in front of me, I gulped. "Eat your scone," England told me. I looked between the coal and the soggy grey mush that was probably porridge, yet it had weird smoke coming from it. I would rather not lose my teeth, so I chose the porridge. Bad decision apparently, as I was out within a second. It was after this that I began to hone my own cooking skills, and began to do the cooking.

This rule made me adopt an ambition, and when I returned to my siblings, China was proud of me. It made me… happy.

2. Never Ask England for a Ghost Story

After my grasp of English had improved, I asked England to read me and Iceland a scary story. After confirming that I was sure, he pulled out a book. As he read from it, the atmosphere seemed to darken, and I could feel Iceland clinging to me. My eyes widened periodically as the story added another twist. When he had finished reading, Iceland was underneath the bed, and al I could ask, with a smile, was: "Another?"

This rule made me brave. It also gave me a slight sadistic streak, but that's irrelevant.

3. Never Light Fire Crackers Around England

"Damn it Hong Kong!" England yelled angrily, carrying me by the collar along the hallway. His hair and shirt were not in the best of shape, and for good reason. I had thought England could be more effectively woken up if I lit firecrackers underneath his bed. Apparently most people did not, in fact, find this enjoyable at all, and it made him quite angry . Halfway through the hallway, England stopped in front of a closet, opening it. My face roughly collided with the floor as he tossed me into the small space. I was confused until he shut the door, enveloping me in pitch black. "Mr. England? Mr. ENgland come back! I'll be good!" I banged against the door, but to no avail. I was confined there for three hours.

This rule made me hate the dark. It also made me rebellious, which would play a role in my discovery of the other rules.

4. Never Pick A Fight Unprepared

England glared heavily down at me, fists clenched in self-restraint as much as anger. "All I was saying was that America had good reason to leave. You were suffocating him!" I yelled uncharacteristically loudly at him. "He was a teenager who needed his own life, and you wouldn't let him! You were just too afraid to admit that you were too weak on your own-" *SMACK* My words were cut off by a stinging impact on my cheek. England growled angrily at me as I stared up at him with teary eyes. I had never been struck before.

This rule made me realize that you should know your target's buttons before you dance on them.

5. Never Cry

I shot up in my bed drenched in sweat and shaking. I had had a nightmare. Suddenly, I wished more than anything that I was back with my siblings, al together, supporting one another. As that thought manifested, tears began to form in my eyes. There was no holding them back. Suddenly, I was crying for the first time in years. My fit must have woken England, because he had soon stomped into my room and picked me up. "What the bloody hell is it?" I shook in his arms, and he knew. As he took me downstairs, I thought maybe he was going to help me feel better by talking with me. I was dead wrong. The door shut in my face, as cold rain pelted down on my exposed shoulders (I wore a large nightshirt to bed). "You can come in in the morning!" I heard the sleepy voice fading away. For the rest of the night, I simply sat beneath the edge of the roof, attempting to stay dry.

This rule gave me a mask. It taught me how to hide away, and hardened the persona that would be my future self.

6. Never Annoy England While He is Drunk

At this time, I was not aware of England's drinking problem, and so did not know not to disturb him when he was passed out of the couch. I walked quietly over to him, and tufted on his sleeve. When he wouldn't wake up, I made a grave mistake. Taking a pan and ladle, I ran back over to the sleeping man, and began to whack them together loudly. That woke him up. As the drunken idiot leapt off of the couch, he turned to look at me with a look of extreme anger. Out of no where, I felt his shoe connect with the side of my head, and I fell to the ground. England dragged me up though, and continued to savagely beat me until I was barely conscious. As his uneven footsteps faded away, I allowed a single tear to fall from my face.

This rule taught me something else entirely. It showed me that I was like the symbol that would become my flag: The broken, withered Orchid in a sea of red. It made me who I am


End file.
